Joey Camp

August 9, 2009

I am the only counselor at “Joey Camp” today as it is a hot, muggy, sticky summer day.  It’s getting hotter and hotter and hotter each and every year.  Joey D. is playing outside on “Docks” deck along Bang’s Lake in Wauconda; about 80 miles from the Tinley / Orland where Joey resides and the closest lake being a retention pond.  The boaters and bikers are eased and receptive to Joey as he starts off with a “Looped” version of “Can’t Always Get What You Want” into “Stir It Up”.  I am always impressed with Joey’s sound control and quality when using only one main speaker and no monitor.  He stands in front of the speaker which is pushing sound across the entire 40’ by 80’ dining and bar area without the tiniest peak of feedback.

I enjoy even more to spy the other listeners who are drawn into the “Looping” mechanics.  I see a dozen, or so, patrons watching curiously as they hear the rhythm guitar continue while Joey steps on peddles and drops in a bass line and then picks the leads.  They understand that he is not using “pre-records”.  They clearly understand that it is all him, with a little help from his little friends. 

“My occupational hazard being, my occupation’s just not around”; my reluctant mantra.  Joey rolls through a “Me and Julio” medley including seven different songs and slightly different tempos all ending with a chorus of “Me and Julio”.  That’s how you play a four hour gig by yourself. 

Medleys show us the common genetics of classic hits that are usually elusive to non-musicians.  In fact, the most common genetics of rock-n-roll are the keys of G, C, D and E which contain genomes (properties) allowing strains of A, Am, Em, sharps and sevenths to color the progression changes, yet still within the major make-up of the four standards of rock-n-roll.

Strumming arrangements and tempo create progressions which give a song its identity and causing compositions of the same genetics to reveal themselves completely different.

Not unlike the carbon-based individuals that do the composing.

Again we ask, “Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?”

- JT

1 comment